Alarm-timepiece



J. SIMON ALARM-TIMEPIECE Feb. 17, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 8, 1955 FIG] Ill

FIG. 2

8 13a 4a 13b 19 f4 31 J. SIMON ALARM-TIMEPIECE Feb. 17, 1959 2 Sheeis-S'neet 2 Filed Nov. 8, 1955 United States Patent ALARM-TIMEPIECE John Simon, Tramelan, Switzerland Application November 8, 1955, Serial No. 545,674

Claims priority, application Switzerland November '11, 1954 3 Claims. (Cl. 58--'57;5)

My invention has for its object an alarm time-piece of the type including a reciprocating hammer. According to my invention, this hammer includes two operative sections arranged in different relative positions with reference to the hell or the like member, the hammer is to hit so that, at one end of the hammer stroke, the first operative section may hit one side of said hell or member while the second operative sectionacts at the other end of said stroke on the other side of said bell or member.

I have illustrated by way of example in accompanying drawings five embodiments of an alarm wrist watch according to the invention. In said drawings:

Figs. 1 and 2 relate to a first embodiment, Fig. 1 being a partial diametrical cross-section through line I--I of Fig. 2, which latter is a fragmentary plan view of a detail.

Figs. 3 and 4 are partial diametrical cross-sections of the second and third embodiments.

Figs. 5 and 6 relate to a fourth embodiment, being respectively a partial diametrical cross-section of the case and a plan view of the bottom on a smaller scale.

Lastly, Fig. 7 is a partial diametrical cross-section of the fifth embodiment.

In the example illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the bottom 1 of the alarm watch carries centrally a rivet 2 which serves for securing a bell 3 in the shape of a fiat dished member having a cylindrical upturned edge 4 throughout the major part of its periphery. A washer 5 provides for the necessary spacing between the bottom 1 and the bell 34 coaxial therewith.

The bottom 1 of the wrist watch is provided with a substantially cylindrical peripheral wall 1a and with an outer flat annular flange 1b urged against a fluidtight packing 32, carried by the case band, by a clamping ring 30 screwed into said case band 31. The ring 38 is provided with a reentering annular projection 33 which forms the only part of the ring in contact with the cylindrical peripheral wall In of the bottom and consequently said ring exerts on said wall a centripetal radial pressure which subjects the bottom 11a to tensional stresses which increase the sonority of the bottom.

The upturned edge 4 of the bell is provided at a point of its periphery with a reentering section the inner end of which is rectilinear and perpendicular to the radius as shown at 4:2 in Fig. 2. The watch clockwork M includes a striking mechanism which is not illustrated except for the hammencarrying member 6 which oscillates with the bell hammer '7 in the direction of the arrows F in a plane parallel with the general plane of the bell. Said hammer is in the shape of a strap of which one arm 7:: is adapted to hit the inner surface of the rectilinear end of the reentering section 4a of the bell edge while its other arm 7b is adapted to hit the outer surface of said end of section 4a.

The bell hammer 7 is secured to its carrier 6 through a screw cooperating with a projection 9 formed on ice the hammer and engaging a recess 10 formed in said carrier.

In the second embodiment of the alarm wrist watch, the clockwork M, (Fig. 3) is provided as precedingly with a mechanism which is not illustrated and which includes a hammer carrier 12 to which the hammer is secured so as to oscillate therewith in the direction of the arrows F in a plane which is substantially parallel with the bottom 14 of the watch case. The hammer 13 is provided with a projection 15 engaging a recess 16 of the hammer carrier 12 to which said projection is secured through the screw 17. The operative part of the hammer 13 is in the shape of a strap the two arms of which 13a, 13b hit in alternation an anvil 18 of a conical shape secured to the free end of an elastic strip 19 the other end of which is riveted at 20 to the bottom 14.

In all the embodiments described, the bottom 14 of the case has a thickness which decreases from the centre towards the periphery so that its inner surface has thus a flattened frustoconical shape 14a furthering the resonance of the bottom. In its inoperative position, Fig. 3, the anvil 18 stands between the arms 13:: and 13b of the hammer without touching the case bottom 14. The outer or lower surface of the case bottom is fiat and is adapted to carry reference figures or the like.

When the hammer 13 hits the anvil 18 as it oscillates in the direction of the arrows F the arms 13a and 13b impinge in succession on the frustoconical surface of the anvil 18 and cause thus the anvil to vibrate in the direction of the double arrow F in a plane substantially perpendicular to the bottom so that said anvil hits in its turn the inner frustoconical surface 14:: of the case bottom which latter produces the desired sound. The hammer 13 causes thus the vibrations to the transmitted through the bottom 14 to the wrist of the wearer.

The alarm wrist watch includes in the third embodiment illustrated in Fig. 4 a case bottom 14 the thickness of which increases as precedingly towards its periphery and which carries a stud or projection 35 rigid therewith and extending between the arms of the strap-shaped hammer 13 assuming as precedingly a reciprocatory movement in the direction of the arrow F Said hammer 13 hits in succession the two sides of the stud 35 at the ends of its stroke.

The general shape of the bottom 14 and the securing of said bottom inside the case band 31 through a clamping ring 30 are similar to those described with reference to the second embodiment illustrated in Fig. 3.

in the fourth embodiment (Figs. 5 and 6) the bottom of the wrist watch case includes a cylindrical peripheral wall 41 and a flat outer annular flange 42 urged by a clamping ring 43, screwed at 39 inside the case band 44, against a iiuidtight packing 45. The ring 43 is provided with an annular reentering section 46 which is the sole part of the ring 43 to engage the peripheral wall 41 of the bottom wherethrough the sonority of the latter is improved. The flange 42 is provided with four equidistant radially and outwardly extending lugs 47 engaging correspondingly shaped recesses cut inside the ease band 44- but not illustrated. This arrangement prevents the bottom 49 from being angularly shifted inside the case band.

The cylindrical wall 41 of the bottom is provided with arcuate recesses 49 inside which are fitted four tongues 55 formed on the outside of an anvil carrier; the latter includes a thin annular section 51 provided with said outer tongues and a diametrically extending arm 52, rigid through one end with said annular section and the free end of which carries an anvil 53 riveted thereto. The actual anvil 53 is in the shape of a strap with two sides or arms 54-55 located in the path of and to either side of a hammer 56 which is caused to oscillate by the striking mechanism, which is not illustrated, in the direction of the double arrow F5 in a plane parallel with the bottom 40. The operative section 0 of the hammer '56 hits the first side 54 of the anvil 53 when the striking mechanism is operative, the second operative section a of the hammer hitting thereupon-the second side 55 of anvil. The clockwork is designated by the reference M;

the hammer and of the elasticity of the diametrical arm- 52, the anvil 53 will hit the bottom 40 of the case at a frequency which is double that of the oscillations of the hammer 56 when the latter hits in alternation the two arms 5455 of the anvil.

Lastly, in the fifth embodiment illustrated in Fig. 7, the case band 44', the bottom 40' and the clamping ring 43 are practically identical with the correspondinglparts 44, 40-41 and 43 described with reference to Fig. 5. However, the case bottom 40' carries directly at its periphery, through a rivet 59, an anvil 6% in the shape of a strapthe two sides or arms of which 61 and 62 lie in the path of the hammer 63 which is adapted to oscillate in the direction of the double arrow F' WhatIclaim is:

1. In an alarm time-piece including a striking mechanism, the combination of a case including a case bottom having a'thickness decreasing from the centre towards the periphery, an oscillatable hammer controlled by said striking mechanism and including two operative sections facing opposite ends of the direction of said oscillation of said hammer and a vibratory member secured to the central thicker section of the case bottom a and including two sections adapted to be hit in alternation by the two sections of the hammer respectively at the ends of the oscillatory strokes of said hammer in corresponding directions. 7

2. In an alarm time-piece including a striking mechanism, the combination of a case including a case bottom, an oscillatable hammer controlled by said striking mechanism and including two operative sections facing opposite ends of the direction of oscillation of said hammer and separated by a gap, 21 flexible tongue secured through one end to the case bottom, an anvil carried by the free end of said tongue in proximity with the case bottom and engaging the gap between the operative sections of the hammer and adapted to be hit in alternation, on itssides facing the sections of the ham mer, by said sections at the ends of the oscillatory strokes of the hammer in corresponding directions.

3. In an alarm time-piece including a striking mechanism, the combination'of a case including a case bottom, having a thickness decreasing from the centre towards the periphery an oscillatable hammer controlled by said striking mechanism and including two operative sections facing opposite ends of the direction of oscillation of said hammer and separated by a gap and a vibratory projection secured eccentrically to the bottom of the case, projecting inwardly of the latter inside the gap between the hammer sections and adapted to be hit in alternation on its sides facing the sections of the hammer by said sections at the ends of the oscillatory strokes of the hammer in corresponding directions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Switzerland July 16, 1953 

